Some of the top players in Indiana attended the Nike EYBL event in April 2018. The Indy Heat led by Trayce Jackson-Davis and Keion Brooks went 4-0 on the weekend, including two buzzer-beating wins.
Joe Spears/For IndyStar

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Fort Wayne North Side High School junior Keion Brooks (12) slam dunks the ball during the second half a varsity basketball game at Southport High School, Saturday, December 9, 2017. Southport hosted the Tip-Off Classic tournament through the weekend. New Albany won the game, 97-59.(Photo: Doug McSchooler/for IndyStar)Buy Photo

Recruiting never really ends. Romeo Langford’s commitment to Indiana on Monday night at New Albany may have seemingly stopped the world for a few minutes, but soon enough, the recruiting cycle continues.

From an in-state perspective, the page turns to the 2019 class. Specifically, Center Grove’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Fort Wayne North Side’s Keion Brooks Jr. Both players are ranked in the top 30 in the country in the 2019 class (Jackson-Davis is No. 23 on the 247 sports composite and Brooks Jr. is No. 28) and it is notable that the two are playing together this spring and summer.

The 6-9 Jackson-Davis and 6-8 Brooks Jr. led Spiece Indy Heat to a 4-0 record at the Nike EYBL event last weekend at the Pacers Athletic Center at Grand Park at Westfield. Both players have lived up to their billing: Brooks Jr. is averaging 22.1 points (on 52 percent shooting) and 6.2 rebounds in eight EYBL games this spring, while Jackson-Davis is averaging 17.8 points (on 58 percent shooting) and 6.9 rebounds.

“I love it,” Brooks Jr. said when asked about playing alongside Jackson-Davis. “I love playing with Trayce. I can’t ask for a better teammate. He’s unselfish and willing to make the extra pass. He always has a positive attitude. I realize he’s going to attract a lot of attention so I do the best I can to hit open shots and get the ball to him when I can.”

Brooks Jr. was rewarded for his big weekend performance with scholarship offers from North Carolina and USC. The highly sought and versatile forward recently hosted in-home visits with long-time suitors Michigan State and Purdue, along with Indiana, Georgetown, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and UCLA.

“It was surreal having all of those Hall of Famers in my home,” he said of the visits.

Many of the same programs are on Jackson-Davis’ list. He hosted in-home visits with Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State and UCLA and has offers from all of those schools.

There has been some curiosity about whether Jackson-Davis and Brooks Jr. might want to play together in college.

“We don’t really talk about college that much,” Jackson-Davis said. “He’s enjoying the process and so am I. We don’t really talk about that. We talk about winning.”

But there is an obvious on-court chemistry between the state’s two highest-ranked 2019 players.

“On my old AAU team there was a lot of pressure on me,” Jackson-Davis said. “Now some of that is alleviated because (Brooks) is such a great player and we’re surrounded by such great players. I can play my game and not stress too much.”

Jackson-Davis said Indiana’s message has been that “they want to keep the in-state players in state.” Brooks Jr. said Purdue coach Matt Painter has emphasized, “Their relationship over the past three years. They have had a lot of guys from Fort Wayne, where I live, and had success. They said, ‘Why go somewhere (else) when I can have the biggest stage right there in my home state?’”

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The top talent in the country descended upon Westfield in April 2018. Here are some of the best players who are receiving offers from the top in-state programs. Trendon Watford, Kiya Lewis, Jahmius Ramsey, Francis Okoro, Isaiah Stewart, Tre Mann
Joe Spears/For IndyStar

There will be plenty of competition for both from outside the state borders. Indiana has significant momentum in in-state recruiting with Langford, McCutcheon’s Robert Phinisee and South Bend Riley’s Damezi Anderson in an incoming five-player class. Purdue has an in-state commitment from Tindley’s Eric Hunter in its incoming three-player class and a 2019 commitment from Zionsville point guard Isaiah Thompson, who is injured but plays on the same Spiece Indy Heat team with Brooks Jr. and Jackson-Davis.

The Nike circuit will have two more tournaments this month – May 11-13 in Atlanta and May 26-28 in Hampton, Va. – before finishing up in July with the Peach Jam. The May events are not open to college coaches.

Recruiting notes

>> IUPUI has picked up a commitment from former Franklin Central standout and Campbell transfer Marcus Burk. The 6-3 Burk, who will sit out one season per transfer rules, averaged 14.8 points per game and shot 40.3 percent from the 3-point line as a sophomore (91-for-226).

>> Tate Hall, a 6-6 transfer from the University of Indianapolis, has landed at Loyola of Chicago. The former Greenfield-Central standout will sit out next season and will have two years to play. He averaged 14.8 points per game as a sophomore and shot 44 percent from the 3-point line.

>> Culver Academy guard Ethan Brittian-Watts, who is playing for the Indy Heat, picked up an offer from Ball State, adding to a list that includes IUPUI, Toledo and Miami (Ohio). Brittain-Watts helped Culver to a Class 3A state title this season.

>> Tre Coleman, a 6-6 sophomore at Jeffersonville, picked up an offer from Nebraska, his first from a high-major program.

>> Former Pike guard Justin Thomas announced he would transfer from Northern Illinois. Thomas averaged 6.0 points and 1.9 assists as a sophomore.

>> Lawrence Central sophomore D’Andre Davis picked up his first offer, from Southern Illinois. The 6-5 Davis averaged 13.3 points per game as a sophomore.

>> Former Cathedral guard Eron Gordon is transferring from Seton Hall. The 6-3 Gordon averaged 1.5 points in 8.2 minutes a game last season as a sophomore.